1. WRITE ONLINE
Write a letter to your sponsored child using our Online Letter Writing feature. You will need to log in to your Africa New Life account to use this feature. Please note: If you sponsor a child, you already have an Africa New Life account, even if you’ve never logged on before. If you need help with logging into your account, email (children@africanewlife.org) or call (866.979.0393).

2. MAIL A LETTER
Write a letter to your sponsored child and mail it through the postal system. You will send your letters directly to Rwanda. Please use this exact format when addressing your envelope:

CHILD NAME, CHILD REF NUMBER

(e.g. SHYAKA FRED, KGL02090)

AFRICA NEW LIFE MINISTRIES

PO BOX 3351

KIGALI

RWANDA

(must be capitalized and on separate line)

Please use our Africa New Life office address (7405 SW Tech Center Dr #144, Portland, OR 97223) or your church’s address as the return address, NOT your home address.

Whichever method above you choose, your letters will be enthusiastically received in Rwanda by your sponsored child! Take a look at the infographic below to better understand the process.

Sending gifts to your sponsored child

The Online Store is the best way to send your child a gift. It is cost effective, the orders are tracked, and delivery is guaranteed. The Online Store also bolsters the Rwandan economy since all gifts are purchased locally. These items are carefully selected by our colleagues in Rwanda to help meet the needs of children in our program. Gifts will be given to your sponsored child within a month or so of the date you place your order. Please note that this process is often longer for students in Senior 1 through Senior 6, since many secondary students attend boarding schools.

If you prefer to process a gift order over the phone, please call 866.979.0393 (Monday-Thursday, 8:30am-5pm; Friday, 8:30am-12pm PST) for assistance.

In the past you were able to mail packages directly to Rwanda for your sponsored child. However, problems have occurred during the intake process in Rwanda when our colleagues had to pay heavy tariffs on overvalued packages and when items, such as candy and money, had to be removed from packages. For these reasons, we encourage you to utilize our Online Storewhen you would like to send a gift to your sponsored child.

Do not send money to your sponsored child.Africa New Life does not give money directly to your child’s family, nor can we exchange money sent in letters to your child in Rwanda. This is due to a Rwandan government request and logistical challenges. Donations sent to the U.S. office for a gift for a sponsored child will be designated to items available online that best correspond with the amount given (unless an order form is included). Checks or cash sent in letters to Rwanda will be returned to the sponsor.

Correspondence FAQ

No. Africa New Life only facilitates communication between sponsors and students through letter writing. Please do not connect with your child through social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. This helps us protect both you and students from inappropriate or confusing situations. Students sign a communication agreement upon registration and can be removed from our program for violating this policy. For guidance in communicating with your sponsored child, please review our writing tips.

We encourage you to write letters to your child and ask questions. For guidance in communicating with your sponsored child, please review our writing tips.

We are not able to provide information on your sponsored student’s clothing size, specific needs, or information about their family. Additional information regarding your student’s family will be found in the first letter they send you, and we encourage you to ask follow up questions about their family in your reply letter(s).

Sponsored children write letters at Center Days, which take place once a month in each community. You can expect to receive an annual update letter from your sponsored child at the end of every summer, as well as a Christmas photo card in December. If you write to your sponsored child more, you will hear from them more often. You are welcome to write up to four times a year. For guidance in communicating with your sponsored child, please review our writing tips.

Once your letter is received in Rwanda, you can expect a response letter in 8-12 weeks. Letters written online are printed once a week. Letters mailed through the postal system may take up to eight weeks to reach Rwanda.

It takes a month or so for your child to receive their online gift; gift distribution happens within three weeks of the placed order. However, for children attending boarding school it may take 2-3 months for the child to receive their gift. Goats may take longer due to logistics and the family’s ability to house the animal.

MAKE YOUR BIGGEST IMPACT

Your gift to Africa New Life’s Impact Fund (general fund) makes the transformation of lives in Rwanda possible. A gift to the Impact Fund can be used wherever opportunities or needs arise, whether in Rwanda or here in the US; it allows Africa New Life to be the most responsive when we need to be. We believe the Impact Fund is the most strategic and timely investment you can make. Thank you for helping this ministry grow!